Structure of Academic Texts

English for Academic and Professional Purposes

Senior High School Applied - Academic
What do building blocks
signify in writing?

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 Why should a reader know the
Essential
essential parts of an academic
Question
text?

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 Structures of Paragraphs

Paragraphs are a collection of sentences that

deal mostly with one topic or idea at a time.

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 Structures of Paragraphs

Parts of a paragraph:
● Topic sentence
● Supporting sentences
● Concluding and/or transitional sentences

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 Structures of Paragraphs

Topic sentence: presents the main point of

the paragraph

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 Structures of Paragraphs

Example:
Cats are very good pets for several reasons. They are naturally
good caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so they want to
take care of their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you train
them to use a litter box, they require almost no cleanup in their areas.
Finally, cats are independent, so you don't need to worry about them
being lonely when you're at school all day. They really are the ideal pet
for almost any owner.
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 Structures of Paragraphs

Topic sentence: presents the main point of

the paragraph
Supporting sentences: support the main idea
of the paragraph
-3 parts: definitional; explanatory; example

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 Structures of Paragraphs
Example:
Cats are very good pets for several reasons. They are naturally
good caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so they want to
take care of their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you train
them to use a litter box, they require almost no cleanup in their areas.
Finally, cats are independent, so you don't need to worry about them
being lonely when you're at school all day.

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 Structures of Paragraphs

Example:
Supporting
sentences
Cats are very good pets for several reasons. They are naturally
good caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so they want to
take care of their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you train
them to use a litter box, they require almost no cleanup in their areas.
Finally, cats are independent, so you don't need to worry about them
being lonely when you're at school all day.

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 Structures of Paragraphs

Transitional sentences pave the way to the

next idea in the next paragraph.

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 Structures of Paragraphs

Transitional sentences pave the way to the

next idea in the next paragraph.
Concluding sentences close out the main idea
by summing up the main idea.

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 Structures of Paragraphs

Example:
Supporting
sentences
Cats are very good pets for several reasons. They are naturally
good caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so they want to
take care of their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you train
them to use a litter box, they require almost no cleanup in their areas.
Finally, cats are independent, so you don't need to worry about them
being lonely when you're at school all day. In other words, they really
are the ideal pet for almost any owner.
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 Structure of a Three-Part Essay

A three-part essay is composed of three basic

parts:
1. Introduction
2. Body
3. Conclusion

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 Introduction

The introduction starts off the essay with ideas

that will be discussed in the body.

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 Introduction

● Introduces the topic

● Places the topic into context
● Provides background information
● Points out the aim of the text
● Describes how the aim will be fulfilled

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 Introduction

● Provides a thesis statement for the text

● Suggests what the findings are
● Explains why the topic could be considered
interesting
● Catches the readers’ interest

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 Body
The body is the main and most substantial part
of the entire essay which:

● Presents evidence to support the thesis

statement
● Can be broken down into parts

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 Body

The body should do the following:

● Present research and data
● Analyze data
● Discuss data thoroughly

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 Conclusion

● Restates the thesis statement

● Wraps up the essay
● Gives opportunity to evaluate the topic
● Should not present new material

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Remember

The conclusion should not have

the exact same thesis statement
as the one in the introduction.
 Structuring the Three-Part Essay
Example 1
Benedicto Cabrera, also known more
famously as BenCab, is a Filipino painter. He was
deemed as a Filipino National Artist for painting
in 2006, and is considered as one of the best-
selling painters of his time. BenCab has a
museum in Baguio, a place that inspired many
of his works.
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 Structuring the Three-Part Essay
The BenCab museum has many of
Cabrera’s artwork in addition to his personal
collection of the works of other Filipino artists.
The museum has exhibits that display the
culture of the Cordilleras. The many displays
manifest BenCab’s talents and his appreciation
for local art.
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 Structuring the Three-Part Essay
With the BenCab museum situated in the
Cordilleras, it has become a site that people
can visit and experience when they visit
Baguio. The opportunity to see BenCab's
collection and work can inspire others to
appreciate Filipino art.

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 Structuring the Three-Part Essay
Example 2
Though almost everyone recognizes
dreamcatchers, few know the origin and its
significance in local culture. The dreamcatcher
is more than just a decorative piece. It is an
interesting object with an even more
interesting history.
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 Structuring the Three-Part Essay
The dreamcatcher originated from Native
North America, most specifically the Ojibwe.
There is no exact date of its invention, but it
became mainstream in the 1980s. Traditionally,
they were thought to be objects of protection
for babies and were hung over their cradles.

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 Structuring the Three-Part Essay

As many people know today, it was often

believed that they could protect the dreams of
infants, as the spiderweb-like design would
"catch" the evil spirits and keep them stuck on
the dreamcatchers.

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 Structuring the Three-Part Essay

The dreamcatcher’s history and original

purpose are fascinating and give more value to
the object. The dreamcatcher is a decorative
piece for many people, but its origins make it
all the more impressive.

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